Favorite Fictional Couples

I have written about my favorite bromances, so today I thought I would write about or maybe in this case ramble about my favorite couples in fiction. They are my favorite couples not necessarily because of the love story but just the stories itself. These are from both movies and books. I apologize in advance for any spoilers. However, knowing me most of my information will be short because I don’t want to go on, or do I?

Beth Fremont and Lincoln O’Neil from Attachments by Rainbow Rowell

For those of you who have not gotten around to reaching Attachments. First off, why not? Rainbow Rowell is a talented, witty, and honest writer. Go get you one Attachments, or any of her books, because they should be on your TBR list. Attachments is a love story in which boy meets girl, well sort of. Lincoln works in the System Securities department at The Courier. As he is reading their emails, which in his defense is his job, he begins to fall in love with Beth. Without giving too much away Beth does notice Lincoln but when she first does there is another person in the picture. I like that it’s a love story, but Rainbow Rowell does an excellent job building Beth and Lincoln characters that you don’t just fall in love with them together but as individual people.

Scott Pilgrim and Ramona Flowers from the comic series and the movie.

Fours words … Scott and Romona, eh?

Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark from The Hunger Games trilogy.

I read The Hunger Games trilogy before the movie came out. I do have to say the movies do hold up, and brings the story out of the page. (In my humble opinion.) I won’t go into the summary to much because I can imagine by now everyone has read the books or seen the movies. Which I can imagine is not easy to make the reader of the books happy, which trying to find a balance of making a movie that can stand alone for people who have not read the books. Katniss and Peeta are another great example of how we fall in love with two people both individually and together. I enjoy that Suzanne Collins makes Katniss her own person. Although she is going through being a teenager phase, Suzanne Collins does not let Katniss’s love life define her. And without sounding bias, I am in love with Peeta. Not like that, I know he is fictional, but I can’t help it I actually like the nice guy. (I did marry one after all. Nice guy … not fictional character.)

Amanda Price and Darcy from Lost in Austen.

I know for some people Jane Austen might be one of those either you like her or you don’t. If you don’t that’s okay. What I like about Lost in Austen, it’s for everyone. Okay that sounds kind of vague. Lost in Austen reminds me of when I was a kid there were chose your own adventure stories. It’s been so long I am not sure what if that is what they are called anymore. Anywho, you read the story and at the end of the chapter it says to go into the room, turn to page 22 or if you want to continue walking keep reading. (Man I wish I could remember a name of a book like that, that I read.) Lost in Austen is also funny because it reminds me of me or anyone else I know who gets so absorbed by the story that you can’t help but laugh or cry with your favorite characters. Amanda Price works at a bank and to escape the everyday life she reads Pride and Prejudice over and over and over. She reads this book so much, somehow her and Elizabeth Bennet end up in each other’s lives. Hopefully this doesn’t spoil it too much. The story ends with Amanda and Darcy falling in love and it rewrites Pride and Prejudice in a manner of speaking.

Olivia Dunham and Peter Bishop from Fringe

Dunham is played by Anna Torv and Bishop by Joshua Jackson. He’s her lobster. Oh and if the internet can hear my small voice … yes I would love for Anna Torv to play Ms. Marvel. Let’s make it happen internet. I can so picture it. And I am biased about Joshua Jackson because I always preferred Pacey to Dawson. There I said okay? Anyway. Olivia and Peter are meant to be. I don’t mean in a cheesy way. Just they have the kind of love where when you know, you know kind of love. One thing I love about the Fringe series is that Peter respects Olivia as a woman and her career. He does not try and flirt with her because he knows it will not work, and when they do end up together it will be real. If you have watched the series you know that it’s not a boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl and timing is not right. It’s more like a boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl and timeline is not right because of another Fringe event. Darn you Folivia and your vagenda! (If you want to know what a vagenda is, watch Fringe you won’t be sorry.)

Angela Chase and Jordan Catalano from My So-Called Life

Ah, if ever there were a picture of teenage angst in regards to teenage love, Angela’s picture would be in the dictionary. But who can blame her? Have you ever seen Catalano lean? Angela and Catalano are not the only reason I like My So-Called Life I enjoy the series because it was ahead of its time. It was fictional but discussed real issues such as teenage drinking and sex, and discussed a number of issues in a honest, relatable way.

Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori from Pacific Rim

Okay this one is not a love story in the traditional sense. Which is why I wanted to end the blog this way. I can best describe way I like their story by quoting Guillermo del Toro, which is still my favorite quote of all time.  “I wanted to show that men and women can be friends without having a relationship. Theirs is a story about partnership, equality and a strong bond between partners. It’s important for little girls to know not every story has to be a love story and for boys to know that soldiers aren’t the only ones to triumph in war.”

Hello, my name is Melissa and I'm addicted to BBC shows, John Hughes movies, and...

You know how some film classes have certain movies on their curriculum? There are days when I tell my husband if I had a class about films, this movie or show would be watched. The following are my favorite movies and television shows. In no particular order because they are all equally awesome.

The Breakfast Club. There are some youngsters today (hehe I said youngsters) who will not know the joy and heartache of being a teenager. Before there was the WB and such we had Pretty In Pink, Some Kind of Wonderful, and Sixteen Candles. John Hughes movies should be required class materials.

The IT Crowd, the BBC version. Two words, Moss and Roy. One question, “Hello IT have you tried turning it on and off again?” It’s hard to explain The IT Crowd if you have not seen it. And I don’t mean that in a “don’t worry citizen I can take it from here” kind of way. If you are every on the YouTube you’ll have to look this up.

The Muppets Take Manhattan. I can’t say that I do not care for cartoons or kids shows today because I have never really seen them. But what I can say is that Jim Henson was a genius. In my humble opinion, he led the path for studios like Pixar to have a comedic balance that is funny for both kids and adults. Let’s not forget Labyrinth. Magic Dance. And don’t forget my favorite phrase, "It’s not fair!"

My So-Called Life. If John Hughes is the King of teenage angst, Winnie Holzman is the Queen of Teenage Angst. In my humble opinion she has a way of writing her characters true to life. Even now when I watch this show it takes me back, and I say to myself I remember feeling this way, or that character reminds me of the friend I had. I think her and John Hughes’s stories stand the test of time and can be relatable for young people today.

(Side note, as I am writing this I know I will keep thinking of more to add to the list. Then once I am done I will say, I can’t believe I forgot this one.)

Dazed and Confused. One time my husband played Slow Ride for a class presentation when getting his RTF degree. Afterwards some of his class mates said hey that’s a great song, where is it from? He replied Dazed and Confused. They had no idea what he was talking about. Never hear of it. To which my reply was the same as his, mouth opened in disbelief. It’s hard to believe some people will never know where All right, all right, all right come from when referring to Matthew McConaughey.

The funny thing is that not much separates these films and TV shows from others. The events and situations range from simple to crazy. Muppets are on the list. It’s the characters that make all the difference and the little details that make them unique and memorable. There are reasons why they stand the test of time and become part of our lives.

“Sometimes someone says something really small, and it just fits right into this empty place in your heart.” – Angela Chase